Lap by Lap: Honda Grand Prix of Long Beach won by Takumo Sato

In his 52nd career start, Takumo Sato would pick up his first career victory at the Honda Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Lap 1 Dario Franchitti grabs the advantage as Hunter-Reay tucks in behind him. Right rear flat on Scott Dixon’s car as Vautier gets into the back of him. “He needs a penalty. I have no idea what he was thinking.”

Lap 3 Sebastian Saavedra makes heavy contact with the wall in turn 9. Full course caution. He carried too much speed into the corner. Marco Andretti pits to fix tail end damage and get a new nose cone. Vautier accessed penalty for contact with Dixon. Drivers make pit stops under yellow.

Restart lap 8 Hunter-Reay grabs the lead on the restart, yet Franchitti retakes it in the next corner.

30 laps to go Ryan Hunter-Reay hits the tires in turn eight while trying to make a pass on Beatriz. Full course caution. Sato makes his way down pit road. Rahal and Franchitti make their way down pit road. Most of the leaders are on pit road. Vautier and Power make contact on pit road. Power stalled it on pit road.

29 laps to go Allmendinger has stalled in turn five

“I just started getting desperate. We just couldn’t go anywhere we just missing grip in corners. I just got desperate and started trying things. We were in the back there. I had to try something. I got inside of Ana there and there was no grip. Just made a bad day worse. We definitely have to bounce back in Brazil.” – RHR

Restart 25 laps to go Sato and Kimball battle for the lead into turn one. Kimball gets into the tire wall in turn one. Sato holds on to the lead.